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Orioles Rumors: V-Mart, Garland, Duke, Manny

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We know that the Orioles have varying levels of interest in Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Jorge de la Rosa, as well as J.J. Hardy and Jason Bartlett, but here's the latest from Charm City…

Orioles Have Some Interest In Nishioka, De La Rosa

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The Orioles aren’t as interested in Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Jorge de la Rosa as it may seem. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun hears that the O’s have not decided whether to bid on Nishioka, since the posting fee and contract could make the infielder prohibitively expensive. Earlier today, a Japanese report suggested the Orioles had decided to place a bid on Nishioka.

The Denver Post reported this week that the Nationals, Pirates and Orioles have pursued De La Rosa most aggressively, but Zrebiec says the O’s have just “tepid” interest in the lefty.

The Orioles have had multiple conversations with Koji Uehara’s representatives and, according to MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli, are active in trade discussions, too (Twitter link). Baltimore appears to be considering potential deals for a shortstop.

MacPhail Discusses Orioles’ Offseason Goals

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We heard a few Orioles-related tidbits earlier today, and now MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli provides another handful. Ghiroli discussed the Orioles' offseason with president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, and MacPhail shared some thoughts on how the O's intend to approach free agency and trades this winter.

  • The team's primary goal will be obtaining a middle-of-the-order hitter, with no specific position in mind. MacPhail suggests that adding an impact bat would benefit the rest of the lineup, by taking some pressure off the Orioles' current hitters.
  • MacPhail sounds skeptical about acquiring pitching through free agency or trades, calling that approach "fragile and expensive" compared to developing young arms. However, he acknowledged that the club could once again look into acquiring a Kevin Millwood-esque veteran: "You want to have an innings eater because you never know what to expect from the youngsters. So someone like that would certainly be attractive to us."
  • When approaching the free agent market for hitters, the Orioles would rather not take a flier on a Garrett Atkins type again. They are hoping to add players who are less risky than Atkins was, though MacPhail concedes that sometimes the way the market develops makes it necessary to take a gamble.
  • Ghiroli speculates that, while the O's may not be able to attract the very best free agents like Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford, they will likely look hard at the group of players in the tier or two below: Victor Martinez, Paul Konerko, Derrek Lee, Jon Garland, and Brandon Webb, to name a few.
  • Ghiroli predicts that the Orioles will stay in contact with most of their impending free agents, especially Ty Wigginton, Cesar Izturis, and Koji Uehara.
  • The O's also made a minor roster move today, adding reliever Jim Hoey to their 40-man roster, reports Ghiroli.

Odds & Ends: K-Rod, Gibbons, Ricciardi, Uehara

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Links for Halloween Sunday, as we prepare to take in our last October baseball game of 2010….

  • SI.com's Jon Heyman says (via Twitter) the early feeling is that Francisco Rodriguez will be back with the Mets this year. There has been speculation that they would try to trade the closer following his late-season arrest, but that would have proven difficult with his contract. 
  • John Gibbons has informed the Mets that he's not a candidate for their managerial opening, tweets Bob Klapisch of The Bergen Record. The former Blue Jays' manager is happy with his role as Kansas City's bench coach.
  • The Mets are still trying to lure J.P. Ricciardi to their new front office, reports ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin.
  • Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com notes that it doesn't appear as if the Orioles have made much of an attempt to keep Koji Uehara. Uehara finished 2010 as the team's closer, but he is scheduled to be a free agent in the not-too-distant future.
  • Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun recaps the Orioles' coaching situation, and tells us that if Don Wakamatsu doesn't land a managerial job, he'll likely be Buck Showalter's bench coach. Showalter would like the coaching staff to be finalized by mid-week.
  • Dave Eiland, who was fired as the Yankees' pitching coach last week, told Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger that a reported falling out between he and Joe Girardi was "totally, absolutely false," and "ridiculous."
  • How potential free agents have been performing, and continue to perform, in the postseason will have an impact on the Giants' offseason decisions, Brian Sabean tells Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. Aubrey Huff, Juan Uribe, and Pat Burrell are a few Giants who are facing possible free agency.
  • Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer reminds Phillies fans that if Jayson Werth signs elsewhere, it wouldn't be the first time the club has lost a star outfielder to free agency. As Brookover notes, things turned out pretty well for the Phils in 2007, when Aaron Rowand signed with the Giants after having a career year in Philadelphia.
  • In a piece for the Detroit Free Press, Josh Huebner explains why signing Carl Crawford should be the Tigers' number one priority this winter.
  • Derek Jeter will likely still be playing shortstop in New York in 2011, but as Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes, the Yankees view Eduardo Nunez as Jeter's eventual successor.

Orioles Rumors: Wigginton, Uehara, Izturis

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You might see Ty Wigginton in an Orioles uniform next season, but it’s less likely that the club re-signs Kevin Millwood or Julio Lugo. Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun that he has preliminary interest in re-signing some of Baltimore’s free agents, though final decisions are months away. Here are the details:

  • Ty Wigginton: The Orioles have interest in re-signing Wigginton, and the infielder told Connolly that he would consider returning in 2011. "I enjoy getting to go out and compete and put on a Baltimore Orioles uniform,” Wigginton said. “I think I can definitely be a good fit; we'll just have to see how everything works out."
  • Koji Uehara: The reliever said he’s not thinking about next year, but confirmed that he wanted to pitch for an MLB team. Uehara, who projects as a Type B free agent under the Elias Rankings, would do well to sign for a couple million, as Tim Dierkes explained today.
  • Cesar Izturis: The shortstop says he’d like to spend the rest of his career in Baltimore, and the O’s have’t ruled out bringing him back.
  • Corey Patterson: Connolly points out that if Patterson re-signs, the sides will likely reach a deal late in the offseason.
  • Kevin Millwood: Millwood may seek out a pitcher-friendly environment after years of pitching in Baltimore and Texas. An arbitration offer seems unlikely for the projected Type B free agent.
  • Mark Hendrickson: The Orioles have a $1.2MM option for the lefty’s services in 2011, so he could return.

 

Free Agent Stock Watch: Koji Uehara

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As his two-year contract with the Orioles nears its conclusion, righty Koji Uehara is restoring some value.  He sports a 1.91 ERA, 9.8 K/9, and 1.6 BB/9 in 28.3 relief innings and has quietly slipped into the team's closer role.

Uehara, 35, pitched well as a starter in 2009, but his season ended in June due to hamstring and elbow woes.  He began this year with more of the same, but has been healthy for the last two months as a late-inning reliever.

Uehara was signed as the Orioles' first-ever Japanese player in January of 2009.  HIs two-year, $10MM contract included $6MM worth of incentives for innings pitched and games finished that he was not able to reach.  His path with the Orioles was not surprising; in June of 2008 NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman outlined Uehara's injury history and success coming out of the bullpen in '07.  The contract indicates the Orioles were aware of the possibility that Uehara would switch to relief at some point.

Teams are more cautious in free agency now than they were two years ago.  Plus, Uehara is no longer a mysterious figure.  He's an injury-prone right-handed reliever who will be coming off a strong half-season at age 36 – not unlike Brendan Donnelly after the '09 season.  Uehara's agent Mark Pieper would do well to get his client a $2MM guarantee this time around.

Odds & Ends: Rangers, Resop, Trembley, Harper

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Links for Monday, as Edwin Encarnacion and the Blue Jays swing away in Anaheim…

  • Michael Young told MLB.com's Chris Cox that he was relieved to hear that the Rangers' sale won't affect the team's regular spending.
  • As MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan explains, the Rangers' sale will go before a judge to speed up the process. In the meantime, the Rangers should be able to spend normally.
  • The Rangers probably won't be drafting players who demand over-slot money this year, according to Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com.
  • Jon Paul Morosi expects Chris Resop, who has a June 15th opt-out clause, to be in the majors within a couple weeks (Twitter link). The Braves could trade him or call him up.
  • Dave Trembley is still the Orioles' manager after today's meeting with president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, writes Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. 
  • Bryce Harper keeps making the Nationals' decision easier. The 2010 draft prospect slugged four homers, a triple and a double in one game over the weekend, writes John Manuel of Baseball America.
  • In a mock draft for ESPN.com, Keith Law has the Harper going first overall to the Nationals, because "there's no argument left for taking anyone else."
  • MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo shows that the D'Backs and A's have drafted many major league contributors this past decade.
  • The Koji Uehara signing was a regrettable but not unforgivable move by the Orioles, writes Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Former Astros manager Phil Garner told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he thinks Roy Oswalt would prefer to play near his Mississippi home. Garner, who hasn't spoken to Oswalt in three years, believes Brad Ausmus and Jake Peavy could draw Oswalt to the Dodgers and White Sox, respectively.

Odds & Ends: Mariners, Orioles, Indians

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If you're up reading, we're up writing!

  • MLB.com's Jim Street takes questions about the Mariners. Among other things, he believes the Mariners will find a veteran catcher to at least split time with prospect Adam Moore.
  • Street's Baltimore counterpart, MLB.com's Spencer Fordin, believes the Orioles will move Koji Uehara to short relief and look to acquire another veteran starter.
  • The Cleveland Plain-Dealer's Paul Hoynes has very positive things to say about Manny Acta, the new Indians' manager.
  • Manny Corpas looks strong in Instructional League play, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, and Corpas will play winter ball as well. A Corpas revival gives the Rockies some alternatives if they don't want to face a big arbitration number from Huston Street, or pick up the $5.4MM option of Rafael Betancourt.

Orioles Close To Deal With Cubs For Hill

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9:41pm: Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun has more on the Orioles trading for Cubs pitcher Rich Hill.

The deal would be for a player to be named later, Zrebiec writes, and it could be announced as early as Monday.

Hill will be reunited with pitching coach Rick Kranitz and bullpen coach Alan Dunn, who worked with him in the Cubs’ organization, Zrebiec notes.

Hill is out of options, so he’ll have to make the Orioles’ Opening Day roster or they could lose him. … Hill will be given an opportunity to win a spot in the rotation, which currently has three vacancies behind Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara.

6:12pm: Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun believes the Baltimore Orioles will complete a trade for Cubs left-handed pitcher Rich Hill by Tuesday — if the Orioles will do the deal at all.

Schmuck writes that now other organizations are aware that Hill could be made available, additional teams — including the Royals and Mariners — could make an offer.

Orioles general manager Andy MacPhail might be waiting to see if he can sign free agent right-handed pitcher Braden Looper, Schmuck adds.

They might be willing to acquire both pitchers, but there is the small matter of moving players off the 40-man roster to make room, so maybe Andy is just going to take one or the other.

Hill, 29 in March, is 18-17 in 57 starts with a 4.37 ERA during a short four-season career. He spend much of 2008 in Triple-A.

Looper, 34, went 12-14 in 33 starts with a 4.16 ERA with the St. Louis Cardinals last season.

Odds and Ends: Putz, Mitsui, Varitek

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Links for Friday…

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